No it's not German, it’s Han Chinese

In 2007 Mr. Zheng hit upon the right location and opened Han's Buffet Restaurant with Mr. Cai, his partner. This wasn't the first operation in his life yet it was and is thriving. “It takes a long road to reap the fruits of success.” “I've learned this," he adds, “by choosing former locations that weren't all that favorable.” As the Chinese saying goes, “Right timing, favorable geographic location and harmonious relationships” are the basics for a prosperous enterprise.

Located in a shopping center on the way to Wal-Mart in Collinsville in Illinois the restaurant is positioned as shopper's first choice in choosing a lunch or dinner venue. It also holds great appeal to travelers passing by. According to the owner, people from Chicago drop by on their way to other destinations. What sets this buffet apart from the rest is the combination of tasty foods, pleasant atmosphere and clean sanitation. Yet the affordable price points hold the most appeal. Lunch is reasonably priced at $6.99 with a dinner buffet at $9.60.

An Elegant Experience

Bringing fortune to one's business and life, as the Chinese believe, can be pursued in many ways. One surefire way is to have the right interior ingredients, materials, symbols and knickknacks that indicate good luck. A golden crystal chandelier set in an octagonal shape glitters brightly at Han's Buffet. The ceiling molding made of mahogany wood shows off the traditional rectangular intertwined patterns seen in Chinese homes and at only the most upscale restaurants. The booths are Hollywood style movie sets: deep red leather banks set against the gorgeous inlaid wooden carved window frames are chic. Chairs made from redwood backs are carved with elliptical cut outs which are dramatically set against shiny golden hued lacquered tables. The effect is one of an ancient Chinese tea house, the type quickly disappearing yet still to be seen in Hong Kong. Lanterns, of delicate rice paper and mahogany wood hang, almost gliding above the booths. At the far end of the restaurant where the booths come to an end, a golden curtain is the closing statement.

Freshness and Flavor

Han's buffet features a plethora of Americanized Chinese food plus Szechwan, Hunan, and Cantonese cuisines. The items vary from salad, soup, appetizers and entrées featuring pork, beef, chicken, and seafood compositions. There are about 120 items served at eight buffet bars.  Customers notice the sweet delights on offer as well, such as cake, pudding, pie, doughnuts, cookies and ice cream.

Stir-frying is the main method of cooking, although many others are used to create the myriad of offerings. The best selling items include: General Tso’s Chicken, Sesame Chicken, Honey Chicken and Hunan Beef are all popular with local customers. Why are they popular asks the owner rhetorically? Because they contain a desirable combination of healthy-ingredients, good taste and less oil. The locals have a preference for chicken and beef dishes so when the chefs fine tune the flavors to meet local demands, these dishes are undoubtedly widely accepted.

Most of the dishes at Han’s Buffet are considered by the management to be “healthy” dishes so the owner Mr. Zheng does not feel the need to include a separate “health-conscious” menu.   There are some steamed dishes and vegetables. The chefs work hard to make sure the dishes are prepared in a healthy manner such as the use of vegetable oils, little salt and fresh vegetables.

The restaurant offers seasonal items throughout the year to provide customers with welcome changes. The owner is constantly updating the menu by replacing unpopular dishes and developing new ones. In order for a dish to be added to the menu, the chefs thoroughly test the proposed entrée first. The usual method is to sample it with the customers who kindly give their comments and suggestions.

Freshness is a constant challenge says the owner. As Chinese dishes would lose their beautiful color and crunchy texture after being exposed to the air for even a shortest period, dishes need to be served piping hot. In choosing to maintain a high standard, using the freshest ingredients available is a basic tenet. The owner informs ARN, “We have some reliable distribution companies to offer substantial stock on a regular basis. We carefully check if the ingredients are fresh. If not, we send them back and ask for replaced stocks. Another method is to serve smaller portions with more frequent replenishing. In this way, the dishes can be changed quickly. It ensures that customers have the freshest dishes. In addition, it is also a way to reduce waste and save cost.”

Management Credo

Despite the fact that a buffet restaurant lacks direct customer contact and personalized service,

Customer service can’t be overlooked. Han's Buffet has a few requirements on how to treat  customers and luckily the staff do a good job.  The staff is diligent in providing high-quality service to every customer. First and foremost, the wait staff always makes sure that they are well groomed wearing smiles on their faces. Secondly, they are courteous and quick to respond the customers’ requests and needs. They are required to do their daily job in an efficient way to provide the best service possible for customers. There are four waiters in the front dining room. At any given time, you can see the staff shuttling around the restaurant, refilling drinks and clearing away fully loaded plates.

The owner Zhen Zheng takes charge of the restaurant management and his partner Mr. Cai plays a leading role as master chef. Mr. Cai is in charge of the kitchen management, to ensure the offerings are tasty, fresh and healthy.  The staff is assigned with specific tasks. Some of the   principles the entire staff stands by include, being customer oriented, the customers are always right and finally a job well done earns everyone a plus.

Cost Savings

Mr. Zheng informs us of three methods used to save on exorbitant costs.

1.                 Offer smaller portions and more frequent refills

2.                 Employ labor cost savings by employing more part time staff

3.                 Use energy friendly equipment, such as water conserving faucets and light bulbs that are eco-friendly. This is only a partial list of the methods the owner wishes to utilize now and in the future.

Overcoming Hurdles

In the beginning, the local population had little information or understanding about the restaurant says Zheng. They were reluctant to try it, so in order to build name recognition it required a slow initiation process. The owner sampled the menu and did some newspaper advertising in the local paper. Eventually people opened their minds and then their wallets and continue to enjoy the fruits of Han's' Buffet.

Han's Buffet

Location: 1130 Collinsville Crossing, Collinsville, IL 62234 

Cuisine:  Americanized Chinese cuisine

Capacity: 180-200